Mold for concrete fence-posts.



A. SMITH.

MOLD FOR CONCRETE FENCE POSTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16, 1912.

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mHHHHIHHIIHIIIH A. SMITH.

MOLD FOR CONCRETE FENCE POSTS.

APPLICATION FILED APR.16,1912.

Patented Oct. 24, 1916.

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1N: mmms PETERS 00.. Pnomuma. wnsxmc'nm. o. c

pair an ASA SMITH, OF TIFFIN, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE WOODVILLE LIME AND CEMENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION.

MOLD FOR CONCRETE FENCE-POSTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 24, l llfi.

Application filed April 16, 1912. Serial No. 691,085.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, ASA SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Tiflin, in the county of Seneca and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Molds for Concrete Fence- Posts; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for the manufacture of concrete fence-posts, and its object is to provide means for the rapid molding of several of such posts simultaneously and for the manufacture of large numbers of posts by the use of comparatively few molds.

A further object of my invention is to furnish an apparatus which may be operated within a minimum of space and which may be conveniently moved from place to place, as into a drying kiln or elsewhere about the premises.

I accomplish the objects referred to by means of the devices, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described, and shown and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective View of my apparatus with the upper group of molds removed and with the end supporting-bars, hereinafter referred to, swung partly out of the way; Fig. 2, a perspective view of one of the molds, hereinafter referred to, detached and partly filled, and Fig. 3, a sideelevation of one end of one of the molds in place, showing the end supporting-bar in cross-section, also the pivot-post or rod hereinafter referred to, and the stop which limits the swing of the pivoted end-bars.

Like parts are represented by corresponding numerals throughout the drawings.

In the drawings, 1 is the frame of a stout truck mounted upon wheels 2 and adapted to be moved about on a track 3. At opposite ends of one side of the truck-frame are rigidly mounted, as at .4, stout upright rods or posts 5. These upright rods are connected by a series of longitudinal bars 6 having at each end an eye 7 which rigidly embraces and forms a sleeve for the upright rod 5. 8-8 are end-bars having at one end lugs 9, the lugs having holes through which pass loosely. the rods or posts 5. The rods or posts 5, together with the lugs, form hinges or pivots upon which the bars 8 may be swung outwardly. The sleeves 7 on the ends of the bars 6 support the several bars 8 in proper relation, one above the other. The bottom outer margin of each of the bars 8 has a downwardly projecting flange 1.0 which fits into a corresponding rabbet 11 in the upper outer margin of the neXt lower pivoted .end-bar, so that when these bars at either end of the apparatus are placed in the same vertical plane they fit together and brace each other. Each of the rods 5 is provided with a series'of stops 12,one for each end-bar 8,which limits the outward swing of the bar.

1313 are trough-like sheet metal molds tapering regularly from one end to the other and of such internal form in cross-section as to give to the article molded therein a T-shape, and so that the post or article formed in the mold shall have a comparatively broad flat side, the opposite side being provided with a heavy longitudinal tapering rib. The external form. of the post to be molded will be obvious from the internal form of the mold, as illustrated in Fig. 2. The taper of the molds is such that when two molds are placed side by side with the broad end of one in the same plane with the narrow end of the other the two molds, at their upper margins, will present substantially a rectangular outline. Any number of pairs of these molds disposed with their upper margins and their alternating large and small ends in corresponding planes will, in like manner, preserve a rectangular form.

The inner side of each of the end-pieces 8 is provided with lugs or ribs 14:, U-shaped in outline, adapted for the reception and support of the ends of the sheet metal molds 13 and for the support of the ends of the horizontal flanges 13 of the molds. The

lugs or ribs 1a are designed and arranged to receive in alternation the large and small ends of the neighboring molds. \Vhen a corresponding pair of end-bars 8 is provided with its complement of sheet metal molds, thus arranged, they present the appearance of a table having an upper surface of deep longitudinal, oppositely tapered corrugations. The soft fresh concrete may be dumped and spread upon the top of a table thus prepared. The concrete being new stroked with a straight edge the mass will present a smooth upper surface.

Owing to the length and flexibility of the sides of the trough-like sheet metal molds, the weight of the semi-liquid concrete tends to cause'the sides of the molds to spread apart and to sag near their middle. To overcome this difliculty and to facilitate the removal of the molds from the frame, I provide a series of stout removable side-bars 15, preferably of angle-iron, detachable from and horizontally adjustable upon the frame. This is efiected by means of a bolt and nut 16 at each end of each of the bars 15 arranged to engage the ends of the bars 15 with the unpivoted ends of the bars 8 when these bars are swung into vertical alinement and in operative position.

All of the bars 8, except the lower pair, are swung outwardly out of the way. The group of molds,in the present instance, for illustration, four in number,are placed with their ends within and upon the supporting ribs or lugs 14 as above described. The semi-liquid concrete is now charged upon the lower group of molds, the lower bar 15 is put in place and by means of the nut 16 pressed tightly against the outer side of the adjacent mold. The outer side of the mold at the opposite side of the apparatus is, at the same time, pressed tightly against the corresponding bar 6. Thus, by setting up the nut 16, the flexible sides of the group of molds are forced powerfully inwardly toward each other, thus compressing the contacting sides of the molds into proper form and alinement. The charge of concrete being stroked with a straight-edge the group of molds with their contents present a smooth symmetrical upper surface.

In the same manner, proceeding upwardly, the several groups of molds are placed, secured and filled until as many of the molds as may be desired are filled. Now

i the truck may be quickly and easily moved away from the mixing machine out of the way and into a drying oven or elsewhere, as may be desired.

The concrete having been allowed to set sufficiently, the bars 15,beginning at the top,are removed and the molds with their contents are, one by one, removed from the apparatus and set upright upon their larger ends. As fast as one group of molds is removed their supporting arms 5 are swung out of the way and the next lower group is treated in the same manner until the apparatus is emptied and ready to be again filled. Owing to the taper form of the molds they may be slipped upwardly upon the hardening concrete and quickly and easily disengaged from the tapered cast. This operation is aided by the tendency of the sides of the molds to spring away from the concrete when released from the side pressure of the side-bars 15. The advantages of the construction here described are that the sheet metal molds are comparatively inexpensive; that the molds and the posts may be separated as soon as the post is sufficiently set to support its own weight endwise; that large numbers of posts may be rapidly manufactured in comparatively small space and with comparatively few molds, and that several heavy unfinished posts may, with little difiiculty, be simultaneously moved from place to place.

Having described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. In a device of the described character, a frame, a group of molds, a pair of bars adapted to engage and to support opposite ends of the molds and pivotal connections between the frame and the bars.

2. In a device of the described character, a frame, upright rods at opposite ends of one side of the frame, horizontal bars pivoted at one end upon said rods, and molds having their ends detachably engaged with and supported by said bars.

3. In a device of the described character, a frame, at each end of the frame a series of horizontal bars disposed in horizontal pairs, one above the other and pivotally connected with the frame, and for each of said pairs of bars a group of molds having their ends detachably engaged with and supported by said bars.

4. An apparatus of the described character, comprising a wheeled truck-frame, having a standard 5 at each end of one of its sides, upon said standards corresponding series of pivotally supported horizontal endbars, a vertical series of horizontal groups of trough-like molds having resilient sides, said pivoted end-bars having means for engaging and supporting the ends of said molds, a series of side-bars corresponding to the endbars and having their opposite ends rigidly connected with said standards, a second series of side-bars, and means for detachably connecting the ends of the latter side- Ears with the free ends of the pivoted endars.

5. In a device of the described character,

a series of horizontal groups of molds, ar- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature ranged one above the other, pivoted endin presence of two Witnesses.

bars adapted to engage and support the ends ASA SMITH. of the respective molds and means for en- Vvitnesses:

gaging in a common plane, each of the end- M. C. BINNs, m bars With its neighboring bar. LEONA KIBWITZ.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

